1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a content providing area presentation system that is configured and arranged to present at least one content providing area candidate on a navigation screen of a user terminal utilized by a user upon an issuance of a request from the user to acquire the content. The content is distributed to the user terminal of the user from a content server over a network.
2. Background Information
Two known methods for downloading content to a user terminal by connecting the user terminal to the internet through a dialup circuit are the simultaneous viewing method and the advance storage method. With the advance storage method, the content is obtained from a content server via a network in response to a request issued by the user. The content is temporarily stored in advance in a cache server arranged in a location close to a mobile terminal of the user. Then, the content is downloaded at a desired timing from the cache server to the mobile terminal. The advantage of the advance storage method over the simultaneous viewing method is that the connection time is shorter because the content is stored in the cache server in advance.
Examples of content providing methods utilizing the advance storage method are described in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2002-49766 and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 11-272711.
In view of the above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that there exists a need for an improved content providing area presentation system. This invention addresses this need in the art as well as other needs, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.